Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Guatemala

Name: Guatemala
Address: GT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $787 in Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,247 in Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $1,707 in Guatemala.

Living in United States is roughly 236% more expensive than Guatemala on average.

United States (97% above) and Guatemala (41% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $112–$1,267 in Guatemala. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$5.95 Q 45.37

236.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$50.9 Q 388

49.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$6.47 Q 49.29

76.51%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.52 Q 26.83

53.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.31 Q 10.01

94.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.00 Q 7.63

104.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.27 Q 24.95

87.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$5.25 Q 40.02

36.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.03 Q 15.44

-48.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.68 Q 20.43

36.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.83 Q 13.92

158.47%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.26 Q 17.22

93.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$7.39 Q 56.3

72.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$8.12 Q 61.9

52.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$9.60 Q 73.2

70.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.56 Q 27.12

52.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.62 Q 12.33

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.27 Q 24.89

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.52 Q 11.57

223.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.50 Q 11.40

94.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.85 Q 14.09

69.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.79 Q 6.00

186.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.11 Q 8.43

107.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.86 Q 29.40

156.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$8.30 Q 63.2

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.88 Q 14.32

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.88 Q 21.92

27.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.02 Q 7.77

143.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$12.81 Q 97.6

406.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.54 Q 26.99

8.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$10.15 Q 77.4

201.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.07 Q 8.15

-10.28%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.5K $30.5K

$18.1K Q 137.8K

68.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K $26.4K

$22.4K Q 170.8K

17.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 $204

$58.7 Q 447

247.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.3 $57.3

$28.61 Q 218

100.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$52.4 Q 400

35.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$44.54 Q 339

4.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$26.03 Q 198

-15.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$6.33 Q 48.26

118.64%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,384 $1,384

$262 Q 1,995

428.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$7,973 Q 60.8K

184.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$51.8 Q 395

2.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$51.1 Q 390

-15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$97.3 Q 741

-6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$103 Q 788

10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$665 Q 5,071

165.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$436 Q 3,321

234.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,318 Q 10.0K

114.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$695 Q 5,293

247.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$2,252 Q 17.2K

45.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,126 Q 8,582

135.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$582 Q 4,438

651.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

8.71

-25.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $218 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $716 in Guatemala City.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $698 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 651% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 115% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 545% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

United States vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $690 per month in Guatemala and $3,212 in United States, there's a 366% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Guatemala is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Guatemala across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Guatemala wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.